Seeing You
by Stargem
Summary: *BANG!* A car crash. Gary loses his eyesight and guess who is called in to help?


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[ **Disclaimer: **All rights and privileges to Pokemon are trademarks and property of Nintendo. The characters of these works are used WITHOUT permission for the purpose of entertainment only. This work of fiction is not meant for sale or profit. ]

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A Pokemon fan fic: Seeing You 

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By Stargem

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Author's notes: My first Shishi fic ^_^; Umm, sorta. *blinks* It _can_ be considered non-shishi too, I guess.

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It's a fact of life that bad things happen. But it's always someone else who gets hurt, not me, at least in my imagination. Watching the news on television, as images of a really nasty car crash flash by I'd think: "It couldn't happen to me. That only happens to other people."

Well, I've realised that we're all 'someone else' to someone else. So when I woke up with the smell of disinfectant and medicine in the air, gauzy cloth wrapped around my eyes and cool, crisp blankets against my skin, I freaked. Something cold and panicked was residing somewhere in the vicinity of my stomach and my heart was gripped by an icy fear. Then, I remembered the sickening screeching of tires, the shrieks and cries of panic just before the sharp pain and blackness. In fact, my head was _still_ throbbing, though the pain was hazy, distant. _Car accident_, my mind supplied. _I've been in a car accident. Oh God._

This was not happening. No, no, _NO_.

"Gary? Gary Oak? Ah, good, you're awake. You're very lucky, young man."

I turned to the unfamiliar voice, guessing it was the doctor. He had a pleasant voice, one that allowed me to trust him though I could not see him. My throat was dry and it took a few tries before I could manage to talk in a hoarse voice.

"What's wrong with me?"

There was a quiet rustling of paper - I assumed he was flipping through a clipboard. Finally, he said in a gentle voice. "I'll be honest with you, Gary."

I tensed. This couldn't be good.

"You knocked your head pretty hard, and got a nasty cut. Thankfully, your skull was hard enough to prevent any serious injury, but your brain was jarred by the impact. Just like when you knock your knee against something, it got bruised and swelled up. Since your brain is sitting in a tight space to begin with, it hasn't got any more room to expand in. The swelling is pressing down on the nerves connected to your eyes."

The doctor had stopped talking. Obviously he figured I was a bright enough kid and I could rationalise for myself what was next. And I could. I just didn't want to believe it.

"I'm… blind?"

"I'm sorry, Gary. There _is_ hope of getting your sight back, if the swelling goes back down."

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No way. This is not happening to me! Gary Oak was _not_ and was never meant to be blind! I was suddenly overcome with the urge to scream or cry, anything to shut out that awful numb feeling. Yet I remained silent. I didn't even move when I felt a warm, callused hand pat my arm in what was no doubt meant to be a reassuring way and the doctor's voice faded into the background as a muted buzzing.

It was only when the doctor had left that I allowed the silent tears to fall. _How can I beat Ash, when I can't even see?_

***

"Gary?" Ash sounded hesitant. Interesting. I'd never heard him so unsure before. There was some uneasy shuffling. "Umm, the doctors said that you weren't cooperating with the nurses… They thought you might prefer to have a friend with you."

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Friends? Us? Gary and Ash? I nearly snorted. _That was a long, long time ago._

"I know it's been a long time… And I know you don't like me much, but I'd really like to help you!"

I remained silent, my back to that earnest voice. It was times like this I wanted to hit that idiot over the head with something really, really heavy. Was he really all _that_ blind? And he didn't even have the excuse of getting his head slammed into the dashboard of a car.

I listened as his footsteps drew nearer and finally stopped at my bedside. "C'mon, Gary, say something."

A warm hand touched my shoulder and I nearly jerked away. 

"Go away," I snarled. "I don't need your help."

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I don't mean that. Do I? Wait just one second here - get a grip, Gary! You do not want or need Ketchum around. You do not.

"Well, none of the nurses want to go near you, so you're stuck with me anyway."

Perfect. Just perfect.

"Don't you want to get better?"

I could tell he was starting to get exasperated. Well, good. I'm not exactly ecstatic over the situation myself. Ash playing Florence Nightingale to me? I'd rather be stuck with that annoying redheaded chit that's always following him around.

Suddenly, my blankets were yanked off. "What do you think you're _doing_, Ketchum?!?!"

"Getting you changed. The doctor said you're supposed to go for a walk outside today so that your muscles don't get ay-tro-fied. You don't want to go out in a hospital gown, do you?"

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You mean 'atrophied', idiot. There was no way I was going to let _him_ undress me. I may be blind now, but I'm still perfectly capable of putting on a new set of clothes by myself, thank you very much. "Let me go!"

We struggled fiercely with each other until there was a sudden loud rip. We both froze and I felt a cool draft sliding over my back through a hole where part of my left sleeve used to be. There was a choked sound from the doorway, and I heard Ash whip around. In my mind's eye I could see the guilty look on his face at being caught with me in such an awkward picture.

"Ash??" Oh, great. It's the annoying redheaded twit. 

"Umm, Misty, hi… I was just helping Gary change. The doctor wanted me to take him outside for a walk…" The sentence trailed off clumsily.

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Real smooth, Ash. I opted to stay quiet. It's wonderfully effective for keeping the attention off me - and for some perverse reason, I found Ash's mortification incredibly satisfying. I listened as he squirmed uncomfortably before finally taking pity on him.

"Just give me the clothes, Ash. I can change by myself."

There was a short pause and a neatly folded pile of clothes fell into my hands. I waited until Ash had hustled Misty from the room - no doubt to attempt another hopefully more coherent and less lame explanation of what was _really_ going on - and left me alone. The smile I had been repressing quirked my lips and I shook my head. As I slipped what felt like one of my sweaters over my head, I realised that it was the first time I had smiled ever since the accident.

***

It wasn't as bad as I thought it would be. Feeling the sun on my face again, the smell of the flowers and the cacophony of the busy people hurrying by - it was a welcome change from the cold, silent hospital room. Ash was guiding my steps with a hand on my elbow, and it actually felt nice to just walk around with him. As we manoeuvred through the press of the crowds, he would cheerfully describe to me our surroundings - the bright colours, shops, trees and animals. It was like we were friends again, and I didn't want to spoil that illusion for this one afternoon. I locked away all the cutting remarks and insults that rose readily to mind, allowing him to talk on freely. This warm feeling was something I had not felt in a long, long time. Friendship, true friendship was not a part of my life, not since I had cut Ash out from it. But for now… For now, I could just pretend.

For now, Gary Oak and Ash Ketchum were best buddies, life-long friends since children. Later, it would be gone, this warmth that we share, and we'd be rivals again. But I'd rather not think of that right now.

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~ End 

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(©_ March 2000 by Stargem_)

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